Goatsbeard plant named &#39;misty lace&#39;

ABSTRACT

A Goatsbeard Plant named ‘Misty Lace’ is a hybrid between  Aruncus dioicus  and  Aruncus aethusifolius,  and bears distinct habit, having perfect flowers that are borne in feathery, elongate terminal panicles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSOREDRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Aruncus dioicus×Aruncus aethusifolius Hybrid named ‘Misty Lace’

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention comprises a new and distinct plant of Aruncus,which has been given the name ‘Misty Lace’. The plant is a hybridbetween Aruncus dioicus and Aruncus aethusifolius, and bears distincthabit and floral characteristics which differentiate it from existingcultivars. The plants were natural hybrids which occurred in 1999 inMonkton, Md., in the garden of Richard Simon. Three plants were takenback to the University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. for subsequent evaluationunder Southeastern environmental conditions. Of the three evaluated forheat tolerance, only one plant remained alive and thrived. This singleplant was the basis of this new cultivar. The plant will be usedprimarily as an ornamental perennial. Asexual reproduction of Aruncus‘Misty Lace’ has been successfully accomplished through tissue cultureprotocol, developed by Dr. Wetzstein at the University of Georgia. Thisis the only means known to the inventors to rapidly reproduce thiscultivar for commercial introduction. The novel habit of the plant hasbeen consistently produced in plants derived from tissue culture.

2. Description of Relevant Prior Art

Goatsbeard, the common name for the genus, Aruncus, is a well-knowngenus in ornamental horticulture. Presently, the most common speciesavailable commercially is the 1.2-1.8 m common goatsbeard, A. dioicus,followed by the dwarf 0.2-0.3 m tall Korean goatsbeard, A.aethusifolius. The invention is a hybrid between the two, with a plantheight of 0.3-0.5 m. ‘Misty Lace’ is distinguished from all othervarieties of Aruncus known to the inventors by its plant and leaf size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aruncus ‘Misty Lace’ is a hybrid between A. dioicus and A.aethusifolius, with intermediate plant and leaf size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying illustration shows characteristics of the new cultivarin a photograph as true to color as is reasonably possible to make inillustrations of this nature.

FIG. 1 shows the habit and flowers of a typical 1 year old specimengrowing in the University of Georgia Trial Gardens in Athens, Ga.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

This plant is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial species that generallygrows 30-50 cm tall at maturity in Georgia. It is a hybrid between the 2species, A. aethusifolius and A. dioicus and is distinguished by havingan intermediate habit between the two, although it favors A.aethusifolius in height. The following description defines the overallappearance of one year old plants as grown under normal conditions inThe University of Georgia Horticultural Trial Gardens in Athens, Ga.,U.S.A. (USDA Zone 7b)

The summers are hot and humid ranging from 75-100 F (24-38 C) theaverage being −85 F (29 C), and winters with average day temperatures ofapproximately 40 F (4 C) Colors are based on The Royal HorticulturalColor Chart (1995)

-   Plant: Size 30-50 cm high with similar diameter:-   Stems: The plants have rounded stems, about 25.4 cm in length, above    which is the terminal peduncle, the flower stem. The internode    length averages from 3.8-5.1 cm and the color is RHS 178A, during    the early spring, and RHS 137A during the summer months.

Leaf: Leaves occur basally and on the stem and are approximately 12-16cm long and up to 15 cm wide at their furthest point. They are doublyserrate in margin with an acuminate apex and a glabrous upper and lowersurface. The leaflets themselves range from 2-4 cm in length and 2-3 cmin width. The colors of the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves areRHS 137 A and RHS 137C, respectively. Leaves are arranged alternatelyand are bi- to tri-pinnately compound with one ovate terminal leafletand 3-4 pairs of pinnately arranged side leaflets. The leaves arepetiolate with the petiole approximately 6 cm long with the terminalleaflet and the first side pair being sessile. The remaining 2-3 leafletpairs are petiolate with the petiole being 0.5 cm on the second sidepair and 1-2 cm on the remaining 1-2 side pairs. Table 1 presents acomparison of leaf and plant measurements and flower color among ‘MistyLace’ and its parent species, A. aethusifolius and A. dioicus. TABLE 1Average leaf size, plant height and flower color for selected Aruncusspecies Height of Color of Leaf Length Leaf Width Mature Plant Flower(cm) (cm) (cm) RHS A. ‘Misty Lace’ 16 15 30-50 155A A. aethusifolius 109 20-40 155C A. dioicus 90 75 122-182 155D

-   Inflorescence: Flowers are perfect and are borne in feathery,    elongate terminal panicles. All flowers in the inflorescence are    similar in size and color, with the peduncle averaging 2-4 cm and 1    cm diameter. The color of the peduncle is RHS 137A. The mature    terminal inflorescences are approximately 18 cm in length and    contain approximately 250 flowers per panicle, each measuring less    than 1.3 cm in diameter. The axillary inflorescences are    approximately 10 cm in length and consist of approximately 35    flowers. The corolla contains 5 petals and is spatulate in shape.    Flowers have 20-30 stamens.    -   -   Timing.—Flowers are produced in mid and late spring,            May-June in Athens, Ga. Plants, which were grown in 4 inch            (10 cm) containers, were placed in the Horticulture Trial            Garden at the University of Georgia in the spring of 2001.            After one winter, plants averaged four stems with three            inflorescences each. At the end of the second and subsequent            winters, plants averaged 8 stems with 4-6 inflorescences            each.        -   Color.—The corolla of the flower is RHS 155A. The stamens of            the flower are RHS 12C.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Seed.—Seed has been observed, but viability unknown.-   Other characteristics: The plant has been observed for four years in    Athens, Ga. and has thrived in the heat and humidity in the garden.    In general, Aruncus do poorly under such conditions, but this plant    has been perfectly adaptable to at least USDA zone 7b conditions.    Also, in 2002-2003, plants were trailed at the University of Georgia    Blairsville Research Station, the University of Florida,    Gainesville, Fla., the JC Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, N.C., the    Chicago Botanic Garden, the University of Maine, Orono, Me., and the    Ulbrich Botanic Garden, Madison Wis. In all cases except    Gainesville, Fla., plants survived the winter of 2002 and flowered    in the spring of 2003.

1. A new and distinct Aruncus plant, as herein shown and described.